Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 18, 2026
A Two-interval Forced-choice Task for Multisensory Comparisons
Published on: November 9, 2018
Comparative analysis of two musical genres within a multisensory environmental intervention
Karen S Dunn1, Cheryl K Riley-Doucet
1Oakland University, School of Nursing, Rochester, MI 48309, USA. kdunn@oakland.edu
Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to determine if there were any differences in the behavioral responses of persons with dementia while listening to nonreligious and religious music within a multisensory environment.
Research Design:
A within-subjects, repeated measures design was used.
Method:
Participants were exposed to both musical genres during multiple sessions over a 4-week period. Neuropsychiatric symptoms were recorded before and after the musical intervention. Behavioral responses to the music were recorded while listening to the music.
Findings:
No significant difference was found between the numbers of neuropsychiatric behaviors observed before and after the participants listened to the nonreligious and religious music. A significant difference was found between the musical interventions as a whole and the number of agitated behaviors before and after intervention. No significant difference was found in the observed behavioral responses with the nonreligious and religious music.
Conclusions:
Music can be a useful intervention to reduce neuropsychiatric symptoms in persons with dementia.
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